Insulator.



P! H. moms.

INSULATOR.

APPLICAT'ON FILED FEB. I2. I916.

1,326,308. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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;Qtthe .o ited smes oi America,- d fit'ofll" en n y .-State'.'ol=. ew'iJerse, have innew gImprove ators, of which the following I s-ginvention relates to; insulators and pm f lr' he yr adapted o electric transmission lines.

preferredjorms a, development of the ofelectrical insulators shown and de- ,msulators, No. 1,250,88'l",dated Dec. 18, 1917,

and ="title,( Electric insulators, No. 1,273,015,

datedJul .16 1918. Such preferred form's "'ffescribed as fcomprising a. hollow,

ubular, substantially cylindrical h metal. of

materialand'end-i-pieces usually oi tain secure mechanical connection between a such end piece and the hollow. vitreous body while precluding puncture of tilt. ifisulatin so vitreousportionsduring abnormal as weil as: normal; electrical conditions. I have found it desirable-to construct such end pieces in the form of substantially conical 7 caps preferably of cast steel havin inner 235 and outer flanges for efiecting mec anical connection .with the vitreous body and relating such metallic portions of'the end pieces with respect to one another to insure ab senee of destructive arcing within the inted -rior ofthe hollow vitreous body. The 'provisionof an eye or rin memher on one end piece and a clevis mem r on the other end piece enables the insulator to be advantausly suspended and supp'ort'the transmis- 46 sion line or lines.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a central sectional view, shown partly in elevation of one 'form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of same part being, broken away showing certain modifica- 66 tions explained more fully hereinafter;

'gbedininyjIJetters-Patent, title, Electric Fan-mt! f lgi iprother suitable- M Tisuitable construction to attain the objects of-eliectuallytdistributing the stresses l ld ttcl-l Patent. Patented De -3 music. Serial no. nasar.

A 3 is a detail upper end piece;

plan viewofithe Filgza; ig. 5 is a bottomplan view of the upper 80 endpiece; I

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the lower end piece but showin certain recesses or perforations in the ho of the same; gig. 7 is fbottom p an view of Fig. 6; an i Fig. 8 is asectional view of one form of my invention showing a corrugated insulator body.

-'Fimilar numerals of'reierenoe refer to similar parts throughoutthe'severel views. Referring to Fig; 1; the vitreous body portion 1 is shown as a substantially cylindrical tube of uniform interior and exterior diameters. At the up' er end of body ort ion 1, there are provide preferably shal ow but wide grooves 2 on the exterior and interior surfaces for'the reception and retaining of cement 3 or the like for the purposeof securing the upper end piece 4 to said bodycso portion 1. I prefer for some situations to use molten lead or a mixture of lead and zinc or some other alloy in place of the cement 3. .One advantage of such materials is the fact that no moisture is introduced during the manufacture and it-is not necessary to wait the length of time required for cement to set. Sulfur may be used to fasten the caps to the body portions in the same way. Ridges 5 may also be provided on the end piece to increase the degree of connection between the cement 3 and the end piece 4. Said upper end piece 4 is shown having the outer substantially circular flange 6 and the substantially concentric inner flange 'Ydepending" from the body of the upper end piece 4. For the urpose of precludingarcing or other condition of abnormal electrical discharge within the in; tcrior of the hollow body ortion 1. said inner flange 7 is'constructe of less length than said outer flange 6, which object is the more effectually attained by the provision of a cooperating similar. construction of the lower end piece as is set forth more particularly Hereinafter.

The body ortion of said upper end piece 4 is prefem 1y conical and provided with ribs 8. shown as ix in number and usually disposed symmetrically with respect to the 110 principal axes'of said upper end piece 4, as

y casting the same at equal radial relation. The eye or ring member 9 is shown cast integral with said upper end member to enable suitable mechanical connection for suspending the insulator. The upper or exterior surface of said end piece4 may be recessed or dished at 10 to minimize the weight of said end piece 4 but providing the requireddegree o rigidity and strength, which objectqis further e anced by provision of said ribs 8 and by forming the cross section of said eye or ring member 9 of the ncral triangular outline, as more. clearly own in Figs. 3 and t. The lower end piece 11 "is somewhat similar to said upper and piece 4- in respect to the outer flange 12 being of reater length than the inner substantial y concentric flange 13, which particular feature is shown more clearly in Fig. 6, and also with respect ,to the conical body portion,- the ribs 14 and the'dished portion 1.5. However, said lower 7 end piece 11 is shown provided with the clevis member 16, of advantage for connection with the upper eye or ring member 9 of an up or insulator unit similar to that shown and described to thereby form a series of insulators as the suspension means or for similar purposes, as willbe understood. The lower end piece 11 may be connected to the vitreous body portion 1 similarly as described above.

. However, as shown in Fig. 6, the lower end piece, here indicated by 17, may be recesse or lo orm encrally a spider in connection with a' so id central portion 19 which may be dished at 20, for the purposes set forth above. Said Fig. 6 also shows the inner flange 13 of less length than the outer flange 12 similar to the construction and for t e omects described hereinbefore.

In Fig. 5 the bottom of the end piece is shown as provided with strengthening ribs 26,26.

In the construction shown in Fig. 8, corrngations or oves 21 or the like increase the superficia area of the exterior surface of the vitreous body portion 1, thus serving to conserve the strength'of the body, to increase the leakage surface and also break up the drops of rain, or other form of water or equivalent liquid "which may be deposited on the vitreous body portion. A

.special advantage of the form of construction shown in Fig. 8 is the fact that the clay blank for the tube may be formed as a plain cylinder-and the grooves cut in the surface after drying and before burnin Thus no strains are introduced by twisting or forcing the wet clay. Furthermore, the grooves do not weaken the strength of the insulator as a whole, since the mechanical efficiency of the joints is not 100%, i. e;, the full tenthe erforatcd between its res )ective ribs 18.

sion strength of the cross section of the tube cannot be developed at the joint, so that farther down the tube where the stress is equally distributed the cross section eed not be so great. In Fig. 2, I also show the connection between the upper end piece 4, by means of articles 22 of crushed porcelain, sand or he like, burned or otherwise rendered integral with the body portion 1, in substitution or addition to said grooves 2 to effect connection between the cement 3 and said end piece 4. Similar means may be alsoemployed for connecting the lower end cap.

'Means are provided for discharging moisture or other vaporized liquid from the interior of the vitreous body portion 1. Such means are. shown in. Fig. 1, in the provision of an opening through the upper cap 4 closed by the plug 23 or other closure and also an openin through the lower cap 11 closed by the p ug 24 or other closure.

In such construction, water, moisture, and the like which is collected within the interior of the hollow parts, is withdrawn through the openings in the caps by placing the insulator within a heater, or by circulating dried air through the insulator, Whoreupon the openings are closed by the plugs 23, 2-1, and preferably scaled with white lead or other scaling material. This is advisable as I have found that the presence of a small umouncof moisture is very detrimental and in anumbcr of recent instances ,1 any insulators have lu'cn exploded by an intcrior discharge on account of imperfect drying. buch lllOlh'illlt' is collected during uascm Jly by condensation of liquid incident to hardening of the cement; such construction is advantageous for effecting removal of water or the like, dcpositcd within the interior under all conditions.

In some cases, however, it is safe and dcsirablc to have both end caps open to permit a free circulation of air as this will give the moisture a chance to dissipate and further, in case of an interim] arc, there is no tendency for the insulator to explode. Where the top cap is closed and the bottom cup open there will be the :ulvnntagc that nothing can drift in from the top while the advantage of a certain circulation of air will be retained.

in the construction shown in Figs. (3 and 7, the openings within the rcspiurtivo lower end pieces 11, effect the withdrawal of water or moisture whether deposited within the interior of the hollow parts during munufacture or subsequent thereto. It will be noted that with the provision of the upper enll piece 4 of solid construction and the lower end piece 17 of open construction, the amount of rain or other moisturideposited within the interior of the hollow parts would be of limited amount and readily discharged i I as use an o entry of annuals open bottom ehd p' insulator is preclu d by the of static voltage or "leakage Referring 4 v or other similar fore'gn bodiesthrough the dzhm.'during-.useflof the ma use some moisture absorbing material wit in the tube. 'l'his would rovide against the failure of completely yin out the moisture in manufacture, against 1; e sweating of the tube and against any tendency of dew to precipitate from the inclosedair on a lowering ofthe temperature. Such absorbent material could be Portland ce ment, calcium chlorid, plaste of Paris, common salt, iron filings or enal suitableideliquiescent substance. Portl d cement'has the advantage of adding new material to the insulator" when cement is used as a binder and plaster of and some of the others have the advantage'of not being corrosive. Such material maybe placed in 'cloth bags or sacks to prevent scattering and the bags may be either laid loosely in the tube or be attached to some point onrthe interior wall or on the cap. s I

It is usually desirab e to alvanize the 'caps, in which case'if the plugs in the caps are of brass they may be sea in by soldering.

It may also be noted that the corrugations or grooves shown outside the tube as in Fig. 8 may be on the inside instead or Ifiiay be on both sides of the tube. If on the side only they will tend to effect the discharge outside of the tube in case of li htning, etc.

Whereas I have describe my mvention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood thatmany changes and modi-.

fications ma be 'niade within the scope of the appende claims without departing from my invention.

I claim: 1. In an insulator, the combination of a hollow bod portionof insulatin material liends, metal elements or closing f moisture from the interior 0 said body portion.

21.111 an insulator, the combination of a hollow body portion, of insulating material open at both ends, metal elements for closing each end of said body portion and means in said metal elements permitting the removal of moisture from the interior of said body ortion. 3. Iii an insulator, the combination of a hollow body portion of insulating material open at both ends, a metal element closing a portion of the interior of said hollow body portion and means for permitting the removal of moisture from the interior of said hollon body portion.

ifurther' to the danger of permitting-moistuietdremain-in the tube, I

' hollow body portion of insulating material openat both ends, a metal element closing a portion ofthe interior of said hollow body .-the interior of said hollow body i t. In an insulator, the combinat1ono'r' a hollow body portion of insulating materlal open at both ends, a metal clement closing I 5. Inian insulator, the combination of a portion and means in said metal element for permitting the removal of moisture from the interior of said hollow body portion,*said passing means comprising .an opemndg l a c osure ihrou 311 said metal element an or sea open 6. A line iii filator comprising a tubular member of vitreous material, metal elements respectively closing the ends of said tubular member, .said metal elements having flanges disposed extcriorly of said tubular member and flanges disposed interiorly of said tubular member beingof greater len h than said interior 7. A line'insulator comprising a tubular member of vitreous material of uniform diameter andopen at both ends, a metal cap at each end thereof each provided with a circumferential recess to receive the walls of said tubular member, the. respective walls of said recessed portion of said caps positioned interiorly of said vitreous member being shorter than the walls of said recessed portion positioned exteriorly of said vitreous member.

8."A line insulator comprising a single hollow tubular member of vitreous material, a conical metal cap at each end thereof haviug flan 8 extending exteriorly and interiorly 0- said tubular member, attachment means secured to each of said capsand ribs said attachment means and its said interior; i iange. i a 9.'A line insulator comprising a hollow body rtion of vitreous material, a metal end piece for the same comprising an annular portion extending. interiorly and exteriorly of said vitreous member, ribs extending radially inwardly from said annular member to a common point of junction and attachment means secured to said common point.

10. A line insulator comprising a tubular tension member of vitreous material of constant interior diameter, a conical metal cap at-each end of'said member having sub stantially concentric flanges engaging said member exteriorly and interiorly, pivotal cal cap at the apex thereof and-ribs on each said exterior flanges l no o on each of said caps disposed betweenits, 3

said conical cap extending from the apex thereof to one of said flanges, certain portions of each said cap between seid apex insulating material provided with grooves :and said flanges being adjucentone end both exteriorly and in llrA'line insulator comprisinfa tubu teriorly and a cap for said tubylar mem- 15 filer-member of insulating materiai a. metal her, said cap being provided with a eircum-.

: gruf -at each end the 'eof, each 'p 'ovided with 'ferential recess to receive the walls of said gs-circumferential ledessto mcelve the walls tubular member, the interior walls of said $35 said tubule: memhe yfonepf said ca 5 berecess being' p1pvided with grooves subing .adspfedto -seal o1 ie.;en'd'of said tu I feleme t While the other of said caps is: grooves on the tubular member. l

19 'iviapt'ed Etqip'ermit free entrance of air into In testimony whereof I have signed this .""""the"othere'niiuof said tubular member. specification.

,12. In an insi latof e tubiilar member of w t PERCY H. THOMAS.

uiar 'stantiaily in staggered relationship to the 20 

